1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to irrigation systems and more particularly pertains to a new and novel irrigation system constructed entirely of plastic pipe and utilizing a unique coupling means for providing the required strength and durability to make such a system functional.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Those concerned with the development of irrigation systems for use in supplying needed water to crops and the like, have long recognized the need for reducing the cost and complexity of irrigation systems as now employed. For example, irrigation systems are typically used to supply water to extremely large tracts of crop land and as such, whatever system is employed usually has associated therewith a tremendous expense in materials needed to construct the same. In this respect, it can be appreciated that a tremendous expense might be expected if a system were constructed totally of metallic pipe, since it is conceivable that even a relatively small sized farm might be forced to utilize many thousands of feet of pipe for delivering water to the crops. However, where such conduit delivery systems are used as the means of delivering water to the crops, it has been typically found that metallic pipe is the only reasonable means of delivering the water due to its strength and durability when exposed to the elements over a period of time.
Of course, there has existed alternative means of delivering irrigation water to crop lands which do not make use of conduit delivery systems. For example, these alternative systems often utilize canals or ditches dug into the crop land whereby the water may be delivered along the surface of the land to the crops. These canals and ditches present many problems however, since they must be continually dredged out to maintain a proper flow of water therethrough, and further, in hot climates, which is typically where irrigation is needed, there is a rapid loss of irrigation water due to evaporation. As such, the more desirable method of delivering irrigation water to crop lands is through the use of the afore-described conduit delivery systems so as to effectively reduce the loss of water due to evaporation and to eliminate the necessity of maintaining a complex system of canals and ditches.
Other means which have been employed to irrigate crop lands include the manual delivery of water directly to the crops, for example as through the use of spraying machines transportable by means of motor vehicles. In this regard, large tanks of water must be continually transported along with the spraying machines and as such, there is tremendous expense involved, both in time and money, in delivering the water to the crops. Accordingly, these spraying machines are a less desirable way of delivering water than a conduit system.
Recognizing then that the most desirable method of delivering irrigation water to dry areas is through the use of a conduit system, one of the most critical problems confronting developers of irrigation systems has been how to reduce the expense of these systems due to the frequent necessity of utilizing metallic conduits as above discussed. In this regard, it has been recognized that conduit systems utilizing materials other than metal deteriorate rapidly when exposed to the elements and generally lack the strength and durability required for a long term use. This critical problem has been overcome by the present invention.